(CoS) CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO: LET ME BE HAPPY

Ellie,

I met Sirius Black in my first year at Hogwarts. He was two years older. He was a proud, handsome, popular Gryffindor, and I was a quiet, shy, gloomy Slytherin. It never would have worked, and we both knew it. But there was an undeniable attraction between us, and in my fourth year, for a brief time, we succumbed to that attraction. But your father was unforgivably horrible to Severus, who you now know is my half-brother, and I ended things because of it.

Less than a year after your father's graduation, he and James returned to Hogwarts on some sort of recruitment trip. They had both embraced the fight against the Dark Lord as their full-time jobs, and wanted to convince our graduating glass to do the same. I was still only a sixth year at the time, but he made a point to see me, anyway, and when he did… well… things happened. You happened.

My mother and stepfather wanted me to get rid of you, but I couldn't bear the thought. Even knowing that your father and I would never be together, I still believed in him then—believed that he was a strong, powerful fighter who was going to change the world for the better. And I believed that his child could do the same.

I couldn't raise you; that much, I knew. My parents wanted nothing to do with you, and I myself was still a seventh year at Hogwarts when you were born. I still had plans in the magical world back then. I wanted to work at the Ministry of Magic, and I knew I wouldn't get past the door with a baby in hand. So I reached out to the one person I could: your father.

He was elated when I told him. Terrified, but elated. Not only did he agree to raise you, but he insisted. Didn't want you turning out anything like me, I expect. I didn't mind; I was just glad he wanted you.

It really seemed that you were his whole world for that first year and a half. He wrote to me often, sending me pictures of you and updates about how you were doing. I had settled into a low-ranking job at the Ministry, and there were a few times I let myself believe that maybe we stood a chance of a future—of being a family. I knew that he would allow me to be in your life as much as I wanted; the question, really, was whether he would allow me to be in his.

But then it happened—so fast and so suddenly, it was like the rug was yanked from under me. James and Lily Potter, dead. The Dark Lord, fallen. And your father…

He did unforgivable things, Ellie. Murdered innocent people; murdered his own friend. Betrayed his other friends—his best friends. He had been in service of the Dark Lord in secret all along, whether he was considered an official "Death Eater" or not.

I might not have believed it myself, if not for one, important detail: you. You were there, Ellie. He performed that spell—that explosion that killed over a dozen people—mere feet from his own child. And when he was arrested, he left you there. Didn't even mention you to the Ministry officials who took him. It wasn't until I myself went to the scene of the crime that I found you, curled up in your stroller, crying.

What could be more evil than that?

As you know, it was the final straw for me. I took you away from all of it—from the magical world—and got a job in Muggle politics. I know that it was hard for you, navigating magical powers while being surrounded by Muggle children, but I don't regret any of it. You could have died that night, Ellie.

You could still die, even now, with the path you have chosen.

Please be careful, Ellie. Please be safe.

Love,

Serena


"I wrote it before," Serena said when Ellie was finished reading. "Before I knew about you going into the Chamber."

Ellie stared down at the letter, hardly believing what she had just read. She had known the broad strokes of it already, but seeing it laid out in detail like that was different.

And his name? She could hardly believe Serena had finally shared his name with her. She wanted to reach out and hug her mother, but until she knew that her future at Hogwarts was safe, she couldn't.

"Thank you for telling me," she said softly. "But, Mum—I think there's more to the story."

Serena shook her head. "That's because you're his daughter, Ellie, and you want to believe that he's innocent."

She wanted to argue. She wanted to tell her mother about all the different clues and signs she had found along the way. She wanted to tell her about what both Lucius Malfoy and Voldemort himself had told her.

But for the first time in her life, she also wanted to protect her poor mother, who had been through enough.

So, instead, she said, "I love you."

"I love you, too." Serena took a deep breath, then straightened. "That Weasley boy's words really got to me, I'm afraid to say. This is really what you want, Ellie—to stay at Hogwarts?"

Ellie made a mental note to thank Fred, despite her deeper-rooted resentments of the comment he'd made. "Yeah, Mum. I have to."

Serena nodded. "And you want to spend the summer with the Weasleys again?"

Of this, Ellie was less sure. She looked carefully into her mother's eyes, frowning. "Is staying with you on the table again?"

Serena considered this for a moment, but, ultimately, shook her head. "I don't think so, Ellie. If you'd rather stay with a different family, I can try to arrange that. But as for me… the deal was the deal."

"Right." Ellie offered her mother a sheepish smile. "Except when threats about my skeleton are made in blood on the walls of Hogwarts."

Serena gasped at her daughter's brashness, then allowed herself a small, embarrassed laugh. "You're so much like your father," she breathed, shaking her head. "It really takes my breath away."


Serena left at that, and Ellie made her way back to the Gryffindor common room, where Harry and the others demanded to know whether her mother would be allowing her to return to Hogwarts the following year. Upon her confirmation that she would, Harry launched into a saga about confronting Lucius Malfoy and freeing his house elf, Dobby, from his ownership. Ellie tried to smile and focus as he talked, but she found it hard—especially with Fred staring at her.

Stop, she wanted to scream at him as she met his gaze. I'm happy with him. Let me be happy.

But if he heard her silent screams, he didn't give a sign.


The end-of-year feast was incredible. Ellie, Harry, and the others had tried to get as much shuteye as they could during the day, but they all attended the feast in their pyjamas, still half-awake. There was no chance they would miss it; the feast was where all of the cured victims of the basilisk were going to be returned to them.

"You did it!" Hermione squealed as she and the other cured students piled into the Great Hall. She squeezed Harry and Ron as hard as she could, then did the same with Ellie and the twins. "You solved it!"

Justin Finch-Fletchley was the next to approach their table. He apologized to Harry for having suspected him, and Harry graciously forgave him.

A few minutes later, all the chatter seemed to cease at once as none other than Rubeus Hagrid entered the Great Hall.

Harry was the first to clap for him, followed shortly by Ellie, Ron, Hermione, the twins, and then everyone. Hagrid turned red as a tomato as students from every house leapt to their feet in support of their vindicated groundskeeper.

"I have you to thank for this," Hagrid said to Ellie and Harry as he came over to hug them. "I'll never forget what yeh did for me—the lot of yeh."

The House Cup points were announced next. Gryffindor didn't need nearly as many as they were given: two hundred points each to Ellie and Harry.

"What about me?" grumbled Ron as the banners turned scarlet and gold. "Honestly—spending all that time with Lockhart should have earned me more than anyone."

They all laughed as McGonagall rose, then went from laughing to cheering when she announced that exams had been canceled as a school treat. Between that and Dumbledore's announcement that Lockhart would not be returning the following year, they were all ecstatic.


Ellie tried to enjoy the remaining few days of term, but it wasn't easy. Her final conversation with her mother lingered heavily over her, along with the words in that letter. You were there, Ellie. He performed that spell—that explosion that killed over a dozen people—mere feet from his own child. And when he was arrested, he left you there. Didn't even mention you to the Ministry officials who took him.

She remembered it. She might not remember details, but she remembered enough to know that it was true.

She didn't share that tidbit with anyone—not even Harry or Fred. She was having enough of a hard time accepting the fact that she wouldn't be able to see Harry for several months; the last thing she wanted to do was pile something like this onto him right before he left. And if she couldn't tell Harry, then she wouldn't tell Fred. Things were confusing enough without her making unfair choices like that.

Finally, it was time for the journey home. Ellie hugged Hagrid goodbye and boarded the train with Ron, Harry, Hermione, Ginny, and the twins.

Ginny had been nothing but kind and gracious to Ellie since the Chamber, despite Ellie's intense guilt over a multitude of things. Her near-death experience seemed to have made her bolder, and she spoke to all of them, even Harry, with a renewed sort of vigor.

When they finally stepped off the train at King's Cross and Ellie faced her goodbye with Harry, it was with a very heavy heart.

"I don't want to say goodbye," she said softly. "Are you sure you can't come and stay with the Weasleys, too?"

"I wish I could." She could hear the same sadness in his voice that was in her own. "I'll miss you, Ellie."

And with that, he kissed her so deeply and passionately, everyone around them burst into cheers and catcalls.

Everyone except Fred.


And that's the end of Chamber of Secrets, folks! As usual, I'll roll right into POA in this same story, so just stay tuned right here. For those of you who read That Girl, you'll find that I'm changing up the next story quite a bit (there was too much cringe-worthy content last time, in my opinion, and this will be much better). Anyway, as always, please show your support by dropping a review, and thanks for reading!